Sports

THE Munster Even Ages U-10 to U-18 plus novice and U-23 Cross Country Championships were held on Sunday last in Newmarket-on-Fergus in wet and heavy underfoot conditions. On a very testing day, many Clare athletes performed well with Daiela Svensson (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) starting the day on a high note when taking the girls’ U-10 1,000m and leading Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare in the Munster inter-club gold medals.Alex O’Neill (St Cronan’s) was a very impressive winner of the girls’ U-12 2,000m and Clare won the gold medals.In the boys’ U-12, there was a one-two for Clare with gold going to Aidan McCarthy (St Cronan’s) and silver to Caoilfhionn O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare).Silver medal winners were Ben Whelehan (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) in the boys’ U-10, Aishling Kelly (St John’s) in the girls’ U-14, Paul Martin (Ennis Track) in the boys’ U-14 and Stephan Rooney (Ennis Track) in the boys’ U-16 with bronze going to Eoin Looney (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare) and Niamh Markham …

For yet another week, a Clare-owned runner won the top-graded race at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium. On this occasion, the honours went to Miltown Malbay owner, Ciara Burke, whose Malbay Bawn was first to cross the line in the competitive A2-graded 525 on Thursday night.Malbay Bawn, in trap five and Beallaghy Twink, the 7-4 favourite, in trap one, were fast off the mark and they led the Ennis-owned Bypass Our Way at the opening bend. Turning down the back, Malbay Bawn started to take a grip on the race and went clear of the rest of the field headed by Bypass Our Way. The son of Royal Impact-Rita Saor remained in front to win by a half-length from Bypass Our Way with a clock of 29.31. Third place went to Bellaghy Twink, one-and-a-quarter lengths back. The runner-up is owned by Paddy Darcy.The card also featured the first-round heats of both the Food Packages A7 Stake and the Ballaghdereen GAA …

Another round in the Banner Equestrian Showjumping League was held last Saturday, when there was very keen competition. ResultsHorses, 90cms N Hegarty’s Shanbally Survivior (Niamh Hegarty) Horses, 1m J Sweeney’s Kilbeg Clover Boy (Pat Greene); J Flynn’s Diamond Clare Queen (Noelle Barry); S Barry’s Fountain Athlete (Simone Barry); J McGuane’s Jnr Cougar Lady (Philip McGuane). Horses, 1.10m P Flannelly’s Weltzeit De Lully (Noelle Barry); D Killeen’s Parker K (Diarmuid Killeen); J Flynn’s Diamond Clare Queen (Noelle Barry); C O’Doherty’s White Easter (Niall O’Doherty); A Pender’s Luxzena (Niamh Pender) Horses, 1.20m P Flannelly’s Farenco (Noelle Barry); C King’s Paddy Fly (Tom Foley); S Barry’s Fountain Misneach (Noelle Barry); M Haynes’ Barnaboy Freeman (Tom Foley) Ponies, U-8, U-10s L Gallagher’s My Little Cocopop (Kara Gupta); J Moloney’s Woodpark Starlight (Caroline Moloney); L McDonagh’s Tullibards Dr Doolittle (Mark McDonagh). 128cms (70cms) S O’Donoghue’s Fistful of Dollars (Claudia O’Donoghue); L Gallagher’s Mill Road Butterfly (John Gallagher). 128cms (80cms) K Reidy’s King of Rock & …

Opinions are evenly divided on the  possible outcome of Sunday’s senior hurling final between Crusheen and Sixmilebridge.

JUST last Sunday, Chloe Morey captained Sixmilebridge to the Clare Camogie Senior B Championship title. The hope in the ’Bridge is that Niall Gilligan will follow that example and push the Canon Hamilton Cup into the mid-October sky on Sunday evening. Not having won a senior championship since 2002, county final chatter is ruling in the village this week.

When Christy ‘Rusty’ Chaplin accepted the Canon Hamilton Trophy after leading his beloved Sixmilebridge to victory over Clarecastle in 2002, little did he, or any of those involved, think that nine years on, the ’Bridge would not have repeated that success.

Winning a national title is the dream of any sportsman and Crusheen native Gerry O’Connell is no different.The holder of 32 national titles as well as a number of national records he would, he said this week, trade the lot for one championship medal with his beloved Crusheen.

Kilmurry Ibrickane                   0-17St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield  0-5KILMURRY Ibrickane will remember their 2011 county final display as possibly the most complete in their club’s history. In winning by 12 points, they equalled Kilrush’s 3-11 to 0-8 hammering of North Clare in 1977. Prior to that, the biggest winning margin in a county football final was in 1899, when Ennis Dalcassians beat Clarecastle Shamrocks 2-13 to 0-4. Depending on a person’s allegiance, either Kilmurry were brilliant or St Joseph’s putrid.